First Signs of Fall

It is just now the first week in September here in the South where we tend to have very long falls, for which I am very grateful.  In the past I have had impatiens blooming into the beginning of December. Summer is my least favorite season here.  It is way too hot and humid for this transplanted northerner, even after all these years.  I melt, walking and working out in the humidity wears me down, I feel as though I am walking through molasses for most of the summer. I am grateful for the long growing season though, and that we can actually have second plantings and fall and winter crops.

I have seen the first signs of fall in my neighbor's front yard and in my garden.  The berries on the dogwood tree (Cornus florida) are starting to turn red, the berries on the beautyberry bush at my neighbor's (Callicarpa americana) have turned their luscious shade of blue/purple (I have never seen that color anywhere else, even in a 64 count crayon box), and my mist flowers (Conoclinium coelestinum) are starting to bloom. 

Mist Flower

                                                            Conoclinium coelestinum
                                                                      (blue flower)

Mist flowers are  wildflowers that  spread from rhizomes. They can be very vigorous, and I sometimes have to pull up the extras that appear where I don't want them.  They have a pretty, blue, delicate looking flower, and look particularly good when planted near the tall, swamp sunflowers that bloom yellow/gold  in October. They are usually found in moist areas, but mine don't seem to mind where I put them, dry or wet.


It has been raining here for the last few days, the remnants of Hurricane Isaac do not want to leave.  It is good to have the wet soil for weed pulling, but a little too wet to work the soil for planting.  The rain is finally supposed to leave for a day or two and then we'll have a cold front come through.  Perhaps over the weekend I'll be able to begin to  get some seed in for lettuce and spinach and snow peas. The nights are supposed to start getting cooler.

I am starting to see mums for sale everywhere, another sign of fall.  Perhaps I'll get one or two this year.  Last year was the first time in years I didn't have any.  I usually put them in ground for the next year's garden, but all of my previous plantings have disappeared.

Happy planting,
Susan